Elections 2024: Congress Continues Suspense Over Amethi, Rae Bareli Candidates; EC Defers Anantnag-Rajouri Election Date To May 25

For the high-octane Lok Sabha polls which started on April 19, voting has already taken place for two out of the seven phases. In the first phase on April 19, voting took place at 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories (UTs) on April 19 while a total 88 contituencies across 13 states and UTs underwent polling in the second phase on April 26.

This time, two major political alliances, the opposition INDIA bloc and the PM Modi-led NDA- are pitted against each other in the Lok Sabha Election 2024. The INDIA bloc includes political parties like the Congress, the AAP, the TMC etc. NDA has the BJP, the PMK, the JDU etc. NDA is eyeing its third consecutive term this general election.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Poll schedule

Here's the phase-wise schedule for the Lok Sabha Election 2024, as announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Phase 1- April 19 (polling concluded)

Phase 2- April 26 (polling concluded)

Phase 3- May 7

Phase 4 - May 13

Phase 5 - May 20

Phase 6 - May 25

Phase 7 - June 1

As per the schedule, votes will be counted, and the results will be declared on June 4.

Repolling is underway in six polling stations in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency. The repolling was necessitated as unidentified persons had damaged EVMs and VVPATs before the completion of voting at four of these six polling stations on April 26.

EVM malfunctioning was reported at one polling station, and voting could not be completed at another due to "threat and intimidation by unknown miscreants", the officials added.

According to a report by India Today, ‘X-category’ security protection has been given to BJP candidate Rekha Patra by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.Patra earlier led the protests against suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali.

She is now the BJP candidate for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat where voting will take place on June 1.

In light of PM Narendra Modi's election rally in the Latur district of Maharashtra, local administration has banned the flying of drones till the intervening night of April 30-May 1. Traffic regulations have also been announced for several roads owing to the Lok Sabha poll rally.

Thirty-seven candidates are in the fray for the elections to four Lok Sabha seats in Odisha for which voting will be held on May 13, EC officials said on Monday.

The nomination process for Nabarangpur, Berhampur, Koraput and Kalahandi Lok Sabha segments started on April 18 and the last date was April 25.

According to EC officials, the nominations of 38 candidates remained valid during the scrutiny. "Of them, one candidate in Koraput withdrew his nomination. Now, 30 men and seven women candidates are in the fray for the May 13 phase of polls in Odisha", said officials.

In connection to the sharing of an alleged deepfake video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam police has arrested one person from Guwahati o Monday. The accused, identified as Reetam Singh (31), is a resident of Guwahati's Khanapara area.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at around 4pm on Monday wrote on, X formerly Twitter, "Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah." 

Ahmedabad on Monday night witnessed a spectacular display of civic engagement as 100 drones took to the skies delivering crucial voting awareness messages.

With polling scheduled for May 7 across Gujarat, concerted efforts by the district election administration and numerous private organisations aim to encourage citizens to exercise their democratic right.

In connection to the April 25 notices sent to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, both the parties have asked for more time to respond. The notices were sent to both th parties over violations of the Model Code of Conduct by their star campaigners Narendra Modi (BJP), and Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), respectively.

The notices directed BJP's JP Nadda and Congress's Kharge to respond by 11 am on April 29.

The BJP has asked for a week, Congress initially asked for an extension until 5 pm on April 29 before asking for 14 more days. 

Highlighting a growing anti-BJP sentiment nationwide, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said, "After witnessing the voting pattern and percentage in the first two phases, we can confidently say the BJP has lost. In the remaining five phases too, they will face a rout. Fear and panic have gripped the BJP. The defeat of the saffron camp is only a matter of time."

Criticising the BJP for using the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as a political ploy in the elections, Banerjee asserted that Hindus would not benefit from it.

"Whenever there are elections, they use one issue or the other to flare up communal tensions. This time they are talking about the UCC and propagating that it is against a particular community. But this UCC is nothing but political rhetoric, and Hindus in no way will benefit from it," she said.

Congress' Indore Lok Sabha candidate Akshay Bam was "threatened and tortured" following which he withdraw his nomination, the opposition party's Madhya Pradesh chief Jitu Patwari has claimed while targeting the BJP.

Bam withdrew his nomination on Monday, which was the last day for the process.

"Three days ago, IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) was added to an old case against Bam. He was threatened. He was tortured in different ways for the whole night. And today he has withdrawn his nomination," Patwari alleged at a rally here on Monday.

(PTI Inputs)

Slamming the Opposition parties, PM Modi on Monday said political rivals who are unable to take on the BJP-led government are now misusing technology to circulate fake videos on social media and create tension.

Modi spoke of the emergence of fake videos created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology and asked people to remain vigilant.

“Opponents are using AI to distort quotes of leaders like me, Amit Shah and J P Nadda to create social discord. By using technology, these people are making fake videos in my voice, which is creating danger. If you see any fake video, inform the police,” he told the crowd.

“There is a plan to create a big incident in next one month. I am making these allegations with a lot of seriousness. Games are being played to create social tension so that some untoward incident takes place,” Modi claimed.

PM Modi will be addressing a poll rally at Chilver Village in Medak district of Telangana on Tuesday, BJP sources said. This is Modi’s second meeting in the state after the poll schedule was released last month.

Telangana is one of the southern states on which the BJP is pinning its hopes to win a considerable number of seats to achieve its ambitious target of 370 in the Lok Sabha polls.

Senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier set a target of winning double digit seats out of the 17 in Telangana.

(PTI Inputs)

Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party candidate from Sambhal Lok Sabha seat Ziaur Rehman Barq was on Monday booked for allegedly making inflammatory statements regarding gangsters-turned-politicians Atiq Ahmad and Mukhtar Ansari, officials said.

Addressing an election meeting in Sambhal on Sunday, Rehman said, "There is no need to tell you about the sacrifices and problems during the time of the BJP. Whether it is putting Azam Khan sahab and his family in jail, whether it is Shahabuddin sahab, Atiq Ahmad sahab, or Mukhtar Ansari sahab... what happened with them cannot be forgotten," Barq told the gathering.

"I request you to take a vow to not let their sacrifices go in vain. The BJP has to be wiped out in the elections," he said.

Commenting on the possible INDIA alliance PM candidate, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, "More than 65% of people of the country say that they want PM Modi to be the PM...Everyone was taking the name of Nitish Kumar in 2019. But Nitish Kumar is now with PM Modi. Right now no such name is there...You cannot compare Rahul Gandhi with PM Modi "

"People are responding well and PM Modi is telling everyone why they should vote for us (NDA). The atmosphere is good…people have decided to make PM Modi the PM for the third time", Pawar further added.

Janata Dal (Secular) sitting MP from Hassan in Karnataka Prajwal Revanna is likely to be suspended from the party on Tuesday inconnection to a “sexual harassment” case that was registered against him amid mounting Opposition's attack the JD(S)-BJP alliance in the state.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has slammed the Congress and blamed the grand old party for the viral doctored video. Refuting the video, the home minister has stated that the BJP supports reservations for ST, SC and OBC communities.

While addressing a rally in Bagalkote in Karnataka on Monday, PM Narendra Modi said he "doesn't believe in attacking from the back". The prime minister also stated that he had first informed the Pakistani authorities about the airstrike on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan.

"I had asked the forces to call the media and inform them about the airstrikes, but I said, before that I will inform Pakistani authorities through phone, but they didn't pick up the phone. So I asked the forces to wait, and after informing the Pakistani authorities, we disclosed to the world about airstrikes that happened during the night. Modi doesn't believe in hiding things nor attacking from the back, he fights openly",PM Modi further added.

Commenting on BJP's situation in Assam during a press conference in Guwahati, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "We do not see voters as minority or majority, BJP will win 12 of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam."

Regarding Congress' promise in the poll manifesto on restoring the Muslim Personal Law Board, Shah said, "The Congress is trying to safeguard its support base, whatever is left, through appeasement politics. The BJP criticises this. We have said it in our poll manifesto that we will try to implement the UCC (Uniform Civil Code) across the nation and there's one law for people of every religion."

Answering questions on the 'obscene videos' case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, former Karnataka CM and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said, "...We are not going to protect him, we will take severe action but the government's responsibility is more. Not only as an uncle but as a common man of the country we have to move further. This is a shameful issue, I am not protecting any person. We have fought against these kinds of illegal things. This is a serious issue. Who is running the government, they have to expose the real picture and the ground reality has to be exposed by the govt and not me."

A voter turnout of 16.68 per cent was recorded till 9 am at six polling stations in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, where repolling is underway on Tuesday, election officials said.

No untoward incident was reported so far and voting, which commenced at 7 am, is underway under tight security arrangements, they said.

While addressing a public rally in Maharashtra's Madha, PM Naredra Modi said, “The love and the crowd I am witnessing today is a strength and blessing for me. In the last 10 years, since the time you have given me the responsibility, I have only devoted myself to serving you. Today, the citizens of the country and Maharashtra can see the difference between the Modi government’s 10 years and Congress’s 60 years of governance. What Congress couldn’t do in 60 years, this 'sewak' of yours made it possible in 10 years.”

Bengaluru Police detained several Congress party workers who staged a protest against JD(S) leader and Hassan's sitting MP Prajwal Revanna in connection to a sexual abuse charge against him.

Janata Dal (Secular) sitting MP from Hassan in Karnataka Prajwal Revanna has been suspended from the party on Tuesday in connection to a “sexual harassment” case that was registered against him amid mounting Opposition's attack the JD(S)-BJP alliance in the state.

"His (Prajwal Revanna) suspension is till the investigation is completed," said former Karnataka CM and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy

Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik filed his nomination from Hinjili seat in Ganjam district.

Slamming the Opposition over circulating fake videos during the Lok Sabha polls to influence the voters, PM Modi while addressing a public rally in Maharsahtra's Dharashiv, said, "They (Congress) are using my face and producing videos with the help of Artificial Intelligence to sell these fake videos at their 'mohabbat ki dukan'. Congress has reached such a level of bankruptcy. None of the parties in their alliance (INDIA) are contesting on over 272 seats."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that if the BJP returns to power at the Centre, it will "tear apart" and "throw away" the Constitution which granted rights to the poor, Dalits, STs and the OBCs.

Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district, Rahul Gandhi, while holding a copy of the Constitution, said the ongoing Lok Sabha poll is not a normal election, but a fight between two ideologies.

"The poor, STs, OBCs got several rights because of the Constitution which also gave the people MGNREGA, land rights, reservation, and other things. If the BJP comes to power, it will throw away and tear apart this Constitution," Rahul Gandhi claimed.

(with PTI inputs)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly asked the BJP-led NDA candidates in the Lok Sabha polls to spread awareness among voters about the Congress's intention to snatch "reservation from SC, ST and OBC communities and give it away to their vote bank".

In a personal letter written to them, PM Modi accused the Congress and its allies of having divisive and discriminatory motives, even though reservation on the basis of religion is unconstitutional.

"They are also bent upon taking away the hard-earned wealth of the people and giving it to their vote bank. The Congress has also made it clear that they will bring in dangerous ideas like inheritance tax. The nation must unite to stop them," PM said in the letter.

In a big setback to Congress in Madhya Pradesh, its six-time MLA and former minister Ramniwas Rawat joined BJP on Tuesday.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday released its joint manifesto for the upcoming polls in the state, promisING to offer Rs 1500 monthly pension to eligible women.

The Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena and BJP combine also promised to offer Rs 3000 monthly financial assistance to unemployed youth.

Releasing the manifesto, Janasena chief Pawana Kalyan said the manifesto is an amalgamation of TDP’s “super six” and his party’s “Shanmukha Vyuham”.

Janasena, TDP and BJP are NDA alliance partners in the southern state.

As part of a seat sharing deal among NDA partners, TDP has got 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.

Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats.

Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reiterated Indian government’s approach against terror, saying it has seen a sea change compared to what was followed during the Congress regime.

“During the Congress regime, the news headlines were of India handing over another dossier to Pakistan about terror activities. Some of our friends in media used to clap after such any such dossier was sent,” PM Modi said at an election rally in Maharashtra’s Latur.

“Today, India doesn’t send dossiers. Aaj Bharat ghar mein ghus ke marta hai (Today India kills terrorists on their own turf)," PM Modi said.

Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said 'INDIA' (alliance) government will be the world's first government to give the right to apprenticeship to every graduate and diploma holder.

"They can ask the government for guarantee of job for a year. You will get training for a year in private sector and public sector organisations," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.

Congress in its Lok Sabha elections 2024 manifesto has promised a new "Right to Apprenticeship Act to provide a one year apprenticeship with a private or a public sector company to every diploma holder or college graduate below the age of 25."

"Apprentices will get Rs 1 lakh a year, the party said, adding that the apprenticeship will impart skills, enhance employability and provide full-time job opportu-nities for millions of youth," Congress manifesto said.

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court dismisses the second regular bail application of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in Delhi Excise policy case. His bail was opposed by both CBI and ED.

Sisodia had sought bail on the ground of delay in the trial. His earlier bail application was also dismissed by the court last year. He has been in custody since February 2023. READ FULL STORY

Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said BJP talks about poor, but income of Adani and Ambani is on rise. Kharge added, "We ruled for 55 years but did we snatch anyone's 'mangalsutra', misuse ED to put people in jail."

"This election is being fought to keep India united and save Constitution, democracy," Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Amid questions over Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha's absence from the public eye, the party on Tuesday said the Rajya Sabha MP has undergone a major eye surgery in the UK and will join the party's Lok Sabha poll campaigning once he feels better.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday said Raghav Chadha had developed a serious eye ailment which could have led to blindness. READ FULL STORY

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on why Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested just before the general elections began.

Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy case, had challenged his arrest in the Delhi liquor policy case.

Explaining the reason behind his question on the timing of the arrest, Justice Sanjeev Khanna told the ED to explain whether the central agency can take up criminal proceedings without having gone through judicial proceedings in the case.

The Congress on Tuesday appointed Devender Yadav as the interim president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, two days after Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from the post, criticising the party's alliance with AAP and statements of the party's candidates in the national capital.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Yadav as the interim president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) with immediate effect, a statement issued by the party said.

When whole world was progressing, India was suffering from policy paralysis under Congress rule, PM Modi said on Tuesday at a rally in Telangana.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused Home Minister Amit Shah of "peddling lies" on the state government's submission of utilisation certificates for central projects and urged the BJP leadership to hold the mirror to themselves.

Addressing a meeting at Harischandrapur in Malda Uttar Lok Sabha constituency, CM Mamata Banerjee alleged that 32 central government departments have not submitted utilisation certificates of Rs 52,000 crore spent by them.

Addressing a public rally in Telangana's Zahirabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the opposition is "trying to fool the country in the name of the Constitution," adding that till the time he is alive he "won't let them give the reservation meant for Dalits, SCs, STs, and OBCs to the Muslims in the name of religion."

"The first constitutional amendment was made by the first Prime Minister which was to curtail free speech," PM Modi said, slamming the Congress.

"They once again tried to censor the press freedom. They have nothing to do with the Constitution. The royal family is happy only when they are in power, but when anyone else is in power, everything feels useless to them. They are the people who stop the functioning of the Parliament, they question the Election Commission, they question the EVM, and now for their vote bank, they are insulting the constitution...," PM Modi said.

BRS President and Former Telangana CM K. Chandrashekar Rao while campaigning in Khamam, said, "We have to fight with both (Congress and BJP). Both of them are enemies of Telangana and this has been proved several times. So we need to fight both."

He added, "It can happen (formation of Third front after elections). But after the results are declared, I feel that the regional parties will play an important role in forming the government."

Speaking of Kejriwal's arrest in Delhi Excise Policy Case, Rao told the reporters, "They (BJP) have troubled every CM in the country...But they were unable to catch hold of Arvind Kejriwal and K. Chandrashekar Rao...So they framed a conspiracy for political benefit through the LG of Delhi. Delhi's Excise Policy was turned into a scam and a false case was framed...and arrested Arvind Kejriwal and my daughter K Kavitha unnecessarily...Delhi Liquor Scam is not a scam at all, it is a scam created by Narendra Modi. It is a political scam of Narendra Modi. I openly say it to the whole country..."

Nationalist Congress Party Sharad Pawar on Tuesday addressed a public gathering in his bastion Baramati constituency in Maharashtra. His daughter Supriya Sule is the NCP(Sharadchandra Pawar) candidate for the constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections.

A delegation of AAP leaders including Delhi Minister Atishi met Election Commission on Tuesday

Atishi speaking to reporters stated, "We met the Chief Election Commissioner and the other two Election Commissioners, and we have raised concern over the fact that it seems like the EC is not neutral and unbiased anymore. We got the time from EC after a month. The second issue we raised is when BJP files a complaint, notices are immediately served to the AAP. But we have been raising objection on the content of BJP and no action has been taken."

AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj was also part of the delegation and he said, "We told them that BJP has put up objectionable hoardings in Delhi and opposition leaders have been inaptly shown through pictures. We lodged this complaint with you nearly a month ago, what action have you taken on this? They said 'we are not bound to tell about the action we have taken'".

The Election Commission announced that the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, held on April 19 across 102 constituencies, saw a voter turnout of 66.14%.

The second phase, which took place on April 26 for 88 constituencies, recorded a slightly higher turnout of 66.71%.

The Congress on Tuesday announced the candidature of senior party leader Raj Babbar from the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat.

With this, the Congress has announced candidates for all the nine seats it is contesting in Haryana, which sends 10 members to the Lower House of Parliament.

The Congress party on the same list named two candidates from Himachal Pradesh including Anand Sharma from Kangra and Satpal Raizada from Hamirpur constituency.

The party fielded Bhushan Patil From Mumbai North constituency in Maharashtra.

The elections to the redrawn Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, which was slated to go to polls on May 7, was postponed to May 25 by the Election Commission.         

This comes after several leaders including Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit chief Ravinder Raina, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari, People's Conference leader Imran Ansari and others had approached the Election Commission requesting for rescheduling of polls to the seat due to adverse weather condition.    

The Election Commission had asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately submit a detailed report on road conditions, weather and accessibility to the region which covers parts of South Kashmir and areas in Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.       

The official notification said that the polls will be held on May 25.

-PTI

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday during a rally in Bihar's Vaishali pointed out that LJP's Chirag Pawan once said that "'well-off Dalits should leave reservation" to which Yadav responded saying "He should also leave Hajipur".